HUCKLEBERRIES: Here for Huetter

Huetter is Idaho’s version of Whoville.

At 26 to 30 acres, it’s the smallest incorporated city in the state, and few know it’s there, squeezed by Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and the Spokane River.

In December 2004, Huetter (pronounced “Hutter” not “Hooter”) faced a crisis: Hallie Blankenship, 88, was retiring due to poor health after 15 years as mayor.

And his neighbors weren’t clamoring to fill his shoes.

“He’s kept the town together,” Councilman David Meeks told the Coeur d’Alene Press on Dec. 13, 2004. “There’s been a lot of times where people would like to see us go under. A lot of people don’t even know we are a town.”

Huetter is that Who-sized dot along Seltice Way, fronted by the Old School Liquor Bar, formerly Huetter Elementary School (1917-1927) and The Shanty Bar. It encompasses two streets three blocks long and is home to 100 people, mostly renters. Incorporated in 1905, the town emerged from a thriving lumber mill. But didn’t sustain growth.

Mayor Blankenship was already living in Huetter in 1979 when he retired from the adjacent Diamond International mill. A World War II veteran, he first saw the area while training at Farragut Naval Station in Bayview and returned after the war to work as an electrician. 

Blankenship — and his few constituents — enjoyed Huetter’s slow pace.

Once, Huetter fought Coeur d’Alene over annexation rights to the lumber mill on its eastern flank. David versus Goliath. Lawyers got involved. And Huetter lost.

“The fact that the mill site is being developed into riverfront property will affect our town,” Blankenship predicted. “It hasn’t so for, but it will.”

Now, Coeur d’Alene touches Huetter, and sprawling Riverstone advances closer.

The water system was Job One during Mayor Blankenship’s day and remains so today, under Mayor Brad Keene. Without water, there is no Huetter. Reflecting on his tenure, Mayor Blankenship prided himself on doubling the pump capacity of the system.

Mayor Blankenship faced indifference when he sought volunteers for vacant council seats.

“People just aren’t interested about being involved,” Councilman Meeks said in 2004. “You just about have to threaten them with their lives to come to meetings.”

When he stepped down, Blankenship was possibly the oldest Idaho mayor. In 2007, Keene, then 24, became one of the youngest mayors in the state when he won a contested race. Now 42, he recalls campaigning door-to-door in three hours. According to Wikipedia, 32 people voted in the election.

Mayor Keene enjoys the unhurried pace of Huetter, too. The water system remains the primary concern. And the city still relies on septic systems. But Mayor Keene is happy: “I’m right in the middle of everything,” he said, “and it’s all moving toward me.”

A mild heart attack prompted Mayor Blankenship to retire. He died at age 90 on March 21, 2007.

Charlie nips Zags

You may know that Coeur d’Alene businessman Charlie Nipp was an outstanding early 1960s ballplayer for Coeur d’Alene High — basketball and baseball.

But did you know he almost led his college team to victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs?

It was Dec. 14, 1964, and the Zags were a long way from becoming a national championship contender under coach Mark Few. Still, they would finish 18-8 that year and were leading comfortably at half against Charlie and his Whitworth teammates: 46-29.

But the Whits fought back to trail only 64-63 with 48 seconds left in the game after Charlie twice stole the ball and hit layups for four straight points. Minutes later, Gonzaga led 67-65 when steel-nerved Charlie hit two free throws to tie the game with 4 seconds left.

Finally, Zag John Brodsky hit a 20-foot jump shot with 2 seconds left to settle matters.

The account in The Press added that Charlie was “a great star” on Coeur d’Alene’s 1963 state champions and a member of the “Talented Three,” with Viks Larry Echelberger and Mike Wicks. On the night Charlie fought the Zags, Echelberger was playing for Idaho State, Wicks for the Idaho Vandals. Glory Days.

Rockin’ Rick

Cleveland, Ohio, may be the official home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Coeur d’Alene had a reasonable facsimile in the late 20th century: Collectors Records & Tapes.

On Dec. 15, 1989, Rick Ochoa’s store on 411 Best Ave. housed more than 150,000 albums and singles — and paid homage to King Elvis and other rock stars. Then age 50, Ochoa told The Press he started collecting records in 1956 on the day he bought Elvis’s “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Said he: “Rock will never get better than it was in the beginning unless the music of today makes some radical changes quick.”

Ochoa’s personal hall of fame list included Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, Buddy Knox, Carl Perkins, Hank Ballard and Jerry Lee.

At the end of the '80s, Ochoa viewed the future of rock as “extremely bleak.” Said he: “I’ll do something else like wash windows before I sell ‘80s rock in my store.”

No arguments here.

Huckleberries

• Poet’s Corner: Hark the herald angels sing: Buy some more of everything!/Cash or check or COD, Christmas lifts the GOP.”/Harried all ye shoppers rise, charge your bank cards to the skies,/with economists proclaim: “Spending is the Yuletide aim! — The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley in 1739, revised 2003).

• Fan Mail: Carl Norloff, S&H Green Stamps CEO, responds to last week’s item about a redemption center that opened in 1964 on Sherman Avenue: “We’re back. We are just relaunching an updated version of S&H Green Stamps (digital). We hope to bring back the redemption centers in an interesting way!” (More info here: https://mygreenstamps.com.)

• Sister Act: Now in their 80s, Rathdrum’s singing Sylte sisters hobnobbed with stars like Roy Rogers, Liberace and Arthur Godfrey. And wowed audiences from Hollywood to North Idaho Junior College. On Dec. 11, 1954, Joan, 16, and 12-year-old twin sisters Deanna and Deandra competed for $1,000 in prizes and won at a talent show in the new Spokane Coliseum.

• Let It Shine: On Dec. 16, 1959, the Coeur d’Alene Electricians Association fulfilled a promise to deck the boughs of a Tubbs Hill Christmas tree elaborately. To a 75-foot tree, they added: a 30-foot wreath, a huge electric star and 1,000 colored lights. The town turned out to see the dazzling tree and hear the CHS chorus sing carols. Christmas remains special here.

• Grinch Strikes: A Grinch is lurking wherever Christmas cheer exists. In December 1969, a Grinch destroyed an outdoor manger scene erected by the Wesleyan Church on Third and Birch. The Mean Green One left only a donkey and a sheep standing ere he sped away at midnight. Undaunted, Rev. W.L. Boone rebuilt the display and prayed with his church for the culprit(s).

• Long Distance: General Telephone knew who to call when it wanted a line stretched for 2 miles across Lake Coeur d’Alene to three customers at Arrow Point: Fred Murphy. In November 1959, Fred’s crew needed only 45 minutes to submerge a line from 12th Street at depths of up to 150 to 160 feet. Installation cost? About $2,500. Reception? Clear as a bell.

Parting shot

On Dec. 9, 1979, speakers at the dedication of the new $3.6 million Communication-Arts Building at North Idaho College lavished praise. Gov. John Evans saluted Emery Hedlund, chairman of the Idaho Permanent Building Fund Council, as “one of the first people to see the great needs” of NIC. The governor also applauded Sens. Cy Chase and Art Manley for securing $2 million in state funds to construct the center. And Mayor Don Johnston declared that Sunday to be “Barry Schuler Day” in honor of the NIC president who guided construction. Now, fast forward to today when the college has room to expand at the Education Corridor. But is represented by timid North Idaho legislators who fear their anti-education party bosses and won’t fight to fund new buildings. Alas.

• • •

D.F. (Dave) Oliveria can be contacted at dfo@cdapress.com. You can find more historic photos and stories on his Facebook page: D.F. Oliveria.

    In 1964, former Coeur d’Alene Vik Charlie Nipp puts on a one-man show against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Spokane Coliseum.
  

    In 1989, vinyl expert Rick Ochoa displays some of his ultra-rare .45 record sleeves.
  

    In 1954, the Sylte sisters of Rathdrum — Joan in the middle and twins Deanna and Deandra on the outside — were going places.
  

In 1959, local electricians fulfilled their promise to display an elaborate Tubbs Hill tree. They are (from left) Tom Robinson (barely visible), Shimeo Nisheo, Al Barrett, Ken Evjen, Russell Reno, Jim Lokamp, Harold Thomas and Paul Barrett.

    In 1969, Miriam, 9, and Mark, 7, children of Wesleyan Church pastor W.L. Boone, view the vandalism to the church nativity scene.
  

    From left, GTE linemen Gene Pope and Fred Glober place a telephone line to Arrow Point while an unidentified man operates Fred Murphy’s barge in 1959.
  

    In 1979, Idaho Gov. John Evans helps dedicate the Communication-Arts Building at North Idaho College.
  

In 1979, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Don Johnston, left, congratulates North Idaho College President Barry Schuler at the opening of the new Communication-Arts Building. The center’s auditorium was later named after Schuler.